Projectile.



thermen SrArns Patented October S, i903 @Arana @errent ISAAC N. HAMILTON, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CARPEN- TER STEEL COMPANY, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION.

PROJECTILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,977, dated October 6, 1903.

` Application tiled September 15, 1902. Serial No.123,458. NO model- To all when/t it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ISAAC N. HAMILTON, a

. citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Reading, in the county of Berks'- Vseparate]y-formed head portion is united with a main body or shell portion g' and it has for one ofits mostimportant objects the provision of a projectile of the type stated wherein the bursting of the body or shell of the projectile j is assured when the explosion of the bursting charge takes place when the projectile is outside the gun and will be expelled when the explosure of the bursting charge takes place prematurelythat is to say, when Vthe shell is in the gun and its body is reinforced by the wall thereof-whereby the efficiency of the bursting shells is secured and at the Sametime the liability of thedestruction of guns thereby when the explosion is premature is avoided.

.To this `end the invention consists, broadly,

in aprojectile having a main bodyor shell and a separately-formed head portion so secured together that the resistance to expulsion of the head portionV is greater than the resistance to rupture of the shell when said shell orbody of the projectile is not reinforced, by the wall of the gun.

The object hereinabove named as well as other objects and advantages which are set forth in the following description of the inventionare attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The drawing is a longitudinal section of a projectile embodying my improvements in preferred form.

The main body or shell a of the projectile -is cylindrical in form, and the central opening therethrough is closed at its frontend by the separately-formed head portion b, having a shank c rigidly engaged therein, and at its rear end by? a closure-plug d screwed therevSQ into, as usual, leaving an intermediate interior chamber e. The exterior of the shell a is provided'near its rear end with the usual copper band f of somewhat greater 'exterior diameter than the bore of the gun to engage the riding of the latter and give rotation t0 the projectile, and the front end or head is of conical form, tapering to a point from'the 55 maximum diameter of the shell a at the burlegh g, which latter I preferably form by means Aof a rigidly -inserted copper band closely fitted exteriorly tothe bore ofthe gun instead of grinding the hard shell .material 6o itself to the desired diameter, as usual, thereby insuring axial alinement, while avoiding undue wear and tear upon the bore ofthe gun.

The practical impossibilityof securing solid and homogeneous metal at theheart of a solid 65 forging, such as a projectile of large or even medium size, owing to piping and segregation, is'well known, and the superior quality of hollow forgings, especially when hollow-forged, is recognized. In the manufac- 7o ture of projectilesit is also desirable that the quality or character of the' metal employed in its construction should be varied to correspond with the different character of strains to which it is subjected at the head and body, 75 respectively. Thus the formation of the head separately from the body of the projectile and of a special quality of steel oers decided advantages, provided the union of the parts be effected in such a manner as to satisfac- 8o torily meet the requirements, which it is'my object to accomplish.

The weight of metal employed in a projectile is most efectively'distributed when the rear body portion, which is notsubjected to 85 the great radial compression strains due to impact and penetration, is left hollow, and, moreover, the interior chamber e thusvformed may be utilized foil the storage of a bursting charge when desired. In my improved con- 9o struction I therefore extend the shank c of the separately-formed head portion b into the tends from the point to the burleigh g, is formed, as shown, partly bythe separatelyformed head portion b, which is provided vwith a circular shoulder 7L, and partly by the -forw'ard end of the shell a, which is some- .what reduced in exterior diameter outwardly :fromv the burleigh g to its end face i, against which the shoulder h of the separately-formed head portion bl abuts when forced home in the shell, a buer ring or washer j, hereinafter referred to, being preferably interposed.

The inner end ot' the inserted shank c is recessed, as indicated at la, so as to form yan extension of the chamber einto said shank and at the same time provide the latter with a circular wall of comparatively thin metal at its recessed end to permit of flaring, as already described.' This recessed formation o f theshank end gives a degree of elasticity to the latter which-either without the previous Haring' described or with it, as is required in other cases, will insure the bursting of the shell when a normal explosion of a bursting charge placed inthe chamber e takes place.

If, however, such explosionshould take placel prematurely while the projectile isstill in the gun, the shell a being then reinforced by contact with the walls of the latter suiciently to make the expulsion of the linserted shank the easiest vent, such expulsion will take place, thus providing a safety-valve whereby injury to the gun will be avoided.

The conical head or ogive of the projectile in-my improved construction is formed partly only, as already described, by the separatelyformed head portion b, the forward portion of the shell a forming the part of largest diameter, extending from the shoulder to' -.slightly cushion the head portion b and reduce the liability of breakage and after beingcrushed by the force of impact and spreading inv diameter beyond the normal serves as a lubricant for the entering shell portion a, of the projectile, thereby reducing the destructive action upon the latter. Thus the eEect of my improvement is to produce a composite projectile not only freefrom the internal weakness inherent in the integral formation', but insuring greater penetration and safety. N

What I claim isy 1. A projectile comprising a cylindrical v body or shell having a longitudinal bore with a widened portion intermediate its ends, a closing means for the rear end of said bore, and a separately-formed head portion having a shank entering the forward end of said bore and closing the same, said shank having its rear end located in the widened portion. of the b ore, land recessed and elastic, said parts being so related as to provide within the shell a chamber for a bursting charge of which chamber the recessed portion ofthe 'shank forms an extension, vfor the purpose specified.

2..A projectile comprising a cylindrical body or shell having a longitudinal bore with a widened portion between its ends, a'closing means for the rear endvof said bore, and a separately-formed heed portion having a shank entering the forward end of said bore and closing the same, said shank havinga recessed re'ar end with dared Wall located in the widened portion of said bore, and said parts so related to each other as to provide within the bodya chamber for abursting charge of which chamber said recess forms an extension.

3. A projectile, comprising a cylindrical body or shell of red need diameter at its formed l end to form a portion of the ogive or conical head, aseparately-formed head portion shouldered against said reduced end of the shell and having a shank entering the latter, and

a butter-ring interposed between the-shouldered parts, the relation of the parts being such that said ring when crushed bythe impact of the head against the object struck, willserve as a lubricant for the entering shell portion for the purpose specified.

Signed at Reading, Pennsylvania, this 8th day of September, 1902.

ISAAC N. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

' D. M. STEWART,

W.. G. STEWART.

IOO 

